Third Generation PV and Other Ways to

Utilize Solar Energy

Solar Fuels
Week 6.3
Arno Smets, Wilson Smith, Paula Perez Rodriguez
Electricity

Heat

Solar Fuels
 Ragone Plot: Energy vs Power Density
Fuel Energy Energy
[kJ/g] [kJ/l]
Coal 29.3 -
Wood 14.6 -
Gasoline 43.5 30590
Diesel 42.7 29890
Natural Gas 50.02 31.7
Hydrogen 119.9 10

Source: “Indication of anomalous heat energy production in a reactor device containing loaded nickel
powder”. Levi et al. 2013
Can we learn from Nature?
 Energy
Hydrogen cycle H2O
Energy Electrolysis
Energy
H2
CO2
Combustion Water Gas Shift

CH4 O2
CO

Fisher-Tropsh
Energy
 Direct photoelectrolysis

Cathodic: 2H++2e-  H2
Anodic: 2H2O  O2+4H++4e-
TOTAL: H2O  H2 + ½ O2

Potential: 1.23 V
 Band bending
N-type semiconductor: Anode P-type semiconductor: Cathode
Challenges for photoelectrochemistry

3 2
1. Absorption

1
2. Separation of charges
3. Catalysis
3
Materials for photoelectrodes
Improving photoelectrode efficiency
4

BiVO4
BiVO4
+Gradient doped
+ Catalyst

j (mA/cm )
+Catalyst

2
2

BiVO4

dark
0
0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0
V vs. RHE (V)
 Potential of the reaction

Overpotential Solar cell

0.8V 1.5V Needed voltage
for the reaction to
Reaction potential happen
Photoelectrode
1.23V 0.6V
 Hybrid photoelectrode

Counter
electrode Photoelectrode Solar cell
Hybrid photoelectrode
Jsc Solar cell

Jphoto

Current
𝐽𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜 ⋅ 1.23𝑉
𝜂𝑆𝑇𝐻 =
𝑃0 Photoanode

Voperational

Potential Voc
MECS PV-PEC Device

4.9%
Solar to Hydrogen
Conversion Efficiency!
Thank you for your attention!